Tampa Bay Rays set to “ring” in new season

March 12, 12:46 PMTampa Bay Sports ExaminerTed Fleming

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Image courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays

The Date: Tuesday, April 14

The Time: Approximately 5:30 pm

The Place: Tropicana Field

The Reason: A very special Game 2 of the 2009 season

The home opener is sold out, has been since February 26. Unquestionably it is the most anticipated first game in Tampa Bay baseball history since the inaugural game of the franchise back in 1998.

Sure the Yankees are in town, which under normal circumstances would draw larger than normal crowds, and NY paraphernalia will likely be dwarfed by those wearing TB and Rays’ blue.

The first pitch is slated for 7:08 pm although the game will be anticlimactic to what will take place prior to James Shields launching his first 2009 pitch in anger. Tampa Bay has waited a long time to take down the invisible banner of not-so-loveable losers and replace it with something tangible with the words “2008 American League Champions” emblazoned on it for future generations to see.

It is just another first in a series of firsts since principal owner Stuart Sternberg and his partners took over the club from former managing general partner Vince Naimoli.

Manager Joe Maddon, his coaches, the players and the organization will be presented championship rings in a pregame ceremony prior to the raising of the banner and while the hands clapping in the stands will be bare, they will not be for long.

All fans coming out to the second game of the season will receive a replica of the team’s accomplishment in 2008. It is made from a combination of recessed and raised metal featuring diamond dust on the face to give it the look and feel of diamonds. The rings are sponsored by International Plaza, distributed in a velvet pouch and comes in at an amazing eight-ounces.

At this time there are still some tickets available for the second contest in the team’s “Championship Week” at Tropicana Field with Yankees and White Sox in town for the seven game homestand.

Tickets are available at all Rays regular ticket outlets including the Tropicana Field Box Office, the Rays Tampa Office located at 400 N. Tampa Street, International Plaza’s main concierge desk, all Ticketmaster outlets and via Ticketmaster phone charge at (727) 898-RAYS and (813) 282-RAYS, raysbaseball.com and raysbeisbol.com.

Ted Fleming is the host of "Speaking of Sports" on Sarasota's WSRQ Sundays from 7-9 pm along with
Rays' Examiner Rob Quinn and Althea Pashman

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